


In Too Deep

by wickedlesbian



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Bisexual Jack, Denial, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Gabriel, M/M, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-SEP, Self-Denial, They're Just Out Of Training Basically, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 11:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16618547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedlesbian/pseuds/wickedlesbian
Summary: Jack's a shitty flirt. Jack's a shitty flirt and a straight dude. Jack's a shitty flirt, a straight dude, and he has a crush on a secretary. So Gabriel's proposition to use him as flirting practice comes as a bit of a shock. Though he initially shoots the idea down, he decides to give it a shot. Things actually start going great, and the girl seems to really like him. The problem is, so does Gabe. He may not have been completely honest with himself about how he'd been feeling about the dumb kid he'd been stuck with since basic training, and Jack may not have been honest with himself about how he feels about men.





	In Too Deep

Jack Morrison was a many of many talents. The man could run a lap faster than most people were capable of writing their own first names. He could do more pushups one-handed than anyone he went through basic training with. Where as most crumbled under pressure, he only became more resilient and strong - like a diamond. When things went to shit - and they always went to shit - people looked to him for leadership. However, for all of his talents, there was one area that Morrison lacked in greatly. 

He was an awful flirt. 

Bless his heart, he couldn’t seduce the loneliest soul in the world if he wanted to. 

That’s what made his crush on the little secretary so damn difficult. Georgina Clayden was her name. He could only describe her in the way his mother used to describe his other mom. “Pretty as an Indiana sunset,” he’d find himself repeating, the words playing in his head over and over like a record. There was literally no way he’d be able to say that to her face, though. 

Today was the day things would be different, though. Clutching the bouquet of lilies in his hand, he started making his way down the hall to the main office. Every single step he took through that damn base felt like an anchor sinking down. If words wouldn’t work, then maybe the flowers would. 

He stood tall and proud. He could do this, he could give her the flowers and ask her out. Kids in high school did shit way weaker than this and came out the other end just fine. If he could face twenty hostile omnics down with nothing but his rifle, he could give a woman he liked a bouquet of flowers. 

Right before he walked into the office, he found himself stopped in his boots. Glued to the floor. His face broke out into a sweat, hands trembling. From where he stood, he could see her typing away on the computer. She lifted a hand up to move a stray dark hair behind her ear, without so much as looking up to see the soldier standing there trembling like a leaf. Doubt started clouding his mind, and he found himself unable to find a good reason to give the girl the flowers. What would he even say to her when he presented them to her? What kind of awkward idiot would dump a bouquet on someone’s desk and walk away? Even if he found something witty to say - which he wouldn’t - there was still the chance she was already seeing someone. Or maybe she didn’t like blondes. Did his breath stink? Why didn’t he check that before he made his way over with the flowers? 

When he found the strength in his legs to move again, he shot right past her desk and to the decorative vase sitting by the building’s entrance. Quickly filling it with water from the drinking fountain, he stuck the lilies in and slunk back to put it where he found it. He couldn’t go through with this. Face burning red with shame, Jack made his way back to his room to sulk. He buried himself in the palm of his hand to avoid the gaze of people as he passed by them, and his usually erect back hunched over in an attempt to look as small and invisible as possible. Most people didn’t notice him, but even he couldn’t avoid the watchful gaze of his old friend. 

An old friend who’d been watching the whole time. 

“That bouquet looked pretty expensive, so I’m gonna assume it probably wasn’t meant for that vase,” piped Gabriel Reyes, leaning against the wall with a semi-smug look plastered on. He didn’t even look up from his phone when he said it. Their shared history went pretty far back, but that didn't mean they were gonna be that nice to each other.

“You don’t know that,” combated Jack, stopping where he stood. 

“I don’t think you would look so flustered if it was really meant for a vase,” he replied back. “Come on, who was it really for?” 

“Why do you care?” Jack crossed his arms, turning to look at him. He shifted uncomfortably in place, knowing he’d been caught.

“Because I’m your friend. Come on, we’ve got history together. I’ve known you since basic training, and not once have I seen you go on a date or even show interest in anybody. So, who is it?” Gabe moved towards him, so that he didn’t have to say it for everybody in the area to hear. The man couldn’t mind his own damn business if he tried. 

Jack’s face flushed a deeper shade of red, and he leaned in to whisper in Gabe’s ear. “Her name is Georgina. She’s one of the secretary’s in the front office. Dark hair, long legs, can’t miss her,” he whispered. 

Gabe’s eyes rolled to the side, trying to recall the face attached to the name. When he did, he nodded. “Never really pinned her as your type, but it is what it is. So what’s the problem, Boy Scout? Why can’t you ask her out?” 

“I can’t flirt, Gabe. Not for the life of me,” he frowned, crossing his arms. Boy Scout - he’d never escape that nickname from Gabe as long as he lived. 

Gabe paused, his lips pursing together close as he tried to prevent a laugh from escaping. The corners of his mouth sunk in as fought his losing battle. 

“Don’t laugh,” Jack buried his face in his hands again. “I know you’re about to laugh at me. Don’t.” 

“I’m not going to laugh.” Yes he was, it was all over his face. Jack didn’t even have to look up to see it.

“Yes you are.” 

Gabe gave in and busted a laugh that came from deep in his stomach, a real belly laugh. As if it were even possible, Jack got even more red. “You can’t flirt? Seriously? That’s the problem here - you don’t know how to flirt? How is it in all the years I’ve known you that I’m just learning this now,” he chuckled out, in between in the laughter. 

“Yeah, Gabe, I’m not good at it. C’mon, it’s not like it’s even that funny,” Jack groaned, wishing he’d never even given him the time of day. 

“Sorry, but I’ve had to hear higher-ups kiss your ass since training. So, forgive me if I think it’s kinda funny that brave, strong Mister Morrison flirts like he’s never talked to a woman before,” Gabe snickered, the smug look never leaving his face. 

“Whatever,” Jack grumbled, beet-red. He’d began to walk away when Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder. His playful face had a tinge of kindness in it. It was a rare look for him, but one that had always given Jack some kind of comfort. It was a face of sincerity. 

“Wait. I was about to offer to help you out,” Gabe spoke in between the last flickers of laughter. “I mean, as funny as it is that you can’t talk to women - and it is hilarious - you’ve always been a good friend to me. So, let me help you. I’ve got an idea.”

“How are you going to ‘help me,’ Gabe?” Jack asked, putting air quotes around the words ‘help me’ due to previous experiences when Gabe tried to help him and it went poorly. The Christmas party always came to mind when Gabe mentioned ‘helping,’ and that was not a compliment. That party was a raging dumpster fire, and there was no telling if the scheme cooking up in his head this time would be any better.

“I don’t need any help.” 

“Oh yeah? Then what are you gonna do about that secretary? Gonna ask her out yourself?” He crossed his arms, giving Jack one of his pretty infamous ‘looks,’ a facial expression of equal parts disdain and wise-ass. It was his signal to Jack that he knew better than to walk away. 

“What’s your idea, Gabe?” Jack asked, giving in and letting Gabe speak his piece.

With a grin, he put both his hands on Jack’s shoulders. “Okay, so, you’re going to try and woo me-” Jack cut Gabe off before he could even finish. 

“I’m not going to try and woo you, Gabe, jesus christ,” his reaction was immediate and swift. “You’re a good friend, I like you plenty, but I don’t want something like that with you.” He did the best he could to put some distance between himself and Gabe.

Gabe’s frown was palpable in the air around him. “You didn’t even let me finish! I don’t want anything with you, Jack. You’re not even my type,” he said, glaring pretty intensely at his friend. “I’m not going to try and start a relationship with you. I was just going to have you flirt with me, kind of like a target range. A target range for shitty pick up lines. Let you figure out what works and what doesn’t.” 

Jack blinked and furrowed his eyebrows. “A-are you dense? That’s a shitty idea, Gabe, there’s no way that ends well,” he sighed, furthering the distance. 

“It’s not a shitty idea. Actually, it’s a great idea,” Gabe spat, getting defensive. 

“It is a very shitty idea. Fuck, most of your ideas are beyond shitty. I’m not doing this with you.” He turned around and started walking away before Gabe even got the chance to reply or defend himself. It was pretty cold of him to do that, but in his defense it was a bad idea. There were so many things that could go wrong if they set aside time for Jack to try and flirt with him. 

About an hour later, he found himself lifting weights in the gym. When he was deep in thought, it was the place he always found himself. His feelings were complicated; the weight machine was not. Part of him just couldn’t shake Gabe’s stupid plan. It wouldn’t work, would it? Who died and made Gabe the gatekeeper of flirting? Why would setting aside time so that he could flirt with Gabe make him better? Sure, practice made perfect, but it would make more sense to practice on someone like Georgina. But, as his mother used to say, practicing a little is better than not at all. Gabe probably had good intentions, somewhere in there.

Despite being soaked in sweat and probably smelling like death, he neglected to take a shower immediately and made his way to his room for his phone. It was tucked underneath a pair of boxer shorts, just where he left it this morning when he left to buy a bouquet. Sighing, he opened up his texts to Gabe. 

“Lover boy,” he repeated out loud before cringing. He hoped that was the first and last time Gabe called him that. Another shitty nickname from Reyes was the last thing Jack needed, 'Boy Scout' was bad enough.

What was he getting himself into?


End file.
